The Last Days of Dogtown (edition 2006)

Audio component very well done and believable. Loved the characters and setting ( )

I loved this book and it was a joy to read. It is based on a true story of a community living through a brief chapter of 19th century American history. A moving and wonderful story.

Back Cover Blurb:
In the tiny rural backwater of Dogtown, nestled on Cape Ann, the few remaining, utterly eccentric inhabitants show an enduring spirit that keeps life and love alive. Among the cast of unforgettable characters is Black Ruth, one of only two Africans still living in the area; she dresses as a man, speaks to no one and continues her craft as the local stonemason. Mrs Stanley is blowsy, blonde and the local madam; totally self-absorbed, she cares nothing for her young grandson, coming of age amid the sights and sounds of a rural brothel. Oliver Younger overcomes a cruel childhood to find happiness in marriage and fatherhood. At the heart of it all is Judy Rhimes, a fiercely independent woman, generous and wise, but also heartbroken and lonely, whose taboo love for Cornelius, a former slave, burns at the centre of her soul. ( )

Didn't like book, didn't finish. Author of The Red Tent ( )

This is a historical fiction novel of a community of outcasts (widows, orphans, African-Americans) and how they survive, set on the Massachusetts coast in the early 1800's. No fake happy endings here.

Dogtown was a real place in early Massachusetts, reaching its peak population around the turn of the 19th century. Near the end, most of the inhabitants were misfits and loners: widows, freedmen, escaped slaves, prostitutes, and supposed witches. This story, detailing the last decade or so of the settlement, is not so much historical fiction as fiction inspired by history. Little is known about the residents of Dogtown, but this tale weaves a beautiful tapestry of birth and death, love and hate, kindness and cruelty. I think my favorite characters were Cornelius and Easter, and though I was disappointed in the tale of Sammy, it was a reaction to his decisions in life, not the writing style. All the characters felt real, like old friends. The time period fascinated me too, giving me a real sense for how ordinary people lived without weighing it down with famous historical events or people. This book was my introduction to the much-heralded Diamant, and I was not disappointed. Good Harbor is already on the TBR pile; I'll have to keep an eye out for The Red Tent. ( )